No fewer than 1,686 people have died in at least 909 recorded incidents of cult and gang violence across Nigeria between January 2020 and March 2025, according to a new report released by SBM Intelligence.
The report, released on Tuesday, revealed that the South-South and South-West regions were the worst affected, with Rivers, Lagos, and Edo states leading in the number of fatalities.
Rivers State topped the chart with 215 deaths, followed by Lagos with 197 and Edo with 192. These states are identified as strongholds of entrenched cult rivalries, with clashes often involving groups such as Vikings, Icelanders, Eiye, Aiye, Black Axe, and Greenlanders.
In the South-South region alone, over 750 deaths were recorded, primarily driven by violent feuds in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa states. In the South-West, over 491 people lost their lives, with Lagos and Ogun recording repeated violent clashes between Aiye and Eiye confraternities.
The South-East region also saw considerable fatalities, with more than 215 deaths linked to growing cult activity—particularly involving the Vikings and Aiye in Anambra State, where tensions are frequently tied to separatist movements.
Benue State in the North-Central region witnessed 204 deaths from cult violence, attributed largely to the activities of gangs such as Scavengers and Chain, operating amidst communal crises.
However, the North-East and North-West regions recorded fewer than 30 gang-related deaths combined, as violence in those areas is largely driven by terrorist organisations like Boko Haram and armed bandit groups.
“Nigeria’s gang landscape, the South-South and Southwest are epicentres of violence,” the report stated.
It further explained, “The South-South leads in fatalities with over 750 deaths, driven by intense feuds between Vikings, Icelanders, and Greenlanders, particularly in Rivers State.
“The Southwest records over 491 deaths, with Lagos being a hotspot for Aiye and Eiye clashes. The Southeast is also highly lethal (215+ deaths), with Anambra seeing significant Viking and Aiye activity.
“Northcentral states like Benue endure violence from Scavengers and Chain (204+ deaths). Conversely, the Northeast and Northwest experience minimal traditional gang activity, having fewer than 30 total fatalities, as these regions contend with larger terror groups.”
According to SBM Intelligence’s Violence Tracker, 2024 had the highest number of recorded cult clashes (273), though the number of deaths was lower than in 2021, which saw the highest number of fatalities—377 deaths across 173 incidents.
The report noted that 645 incidents resulting in 1,286 deaths were excluded from the dataset due to the inability to identify the gangs involved.
It added, “2021 recorded the highest number of deaths (377) across 173 incidents, a peak likely tied to post-COVID economic hardship and political unrest.
“This was followed by a notable drop in 2022, with 228 deaths from 97 incidents, possibly due to government crackdowns or temporary gang truces.
“However, the landscape shifted dramatically in 2024, with the highest number of incidents at 273, although with a decreased lethality per clash.
“This surge might be attributed to the democratisation of reporting through social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter, moving incident accounts beyond traditional police releases.
“The dire economic situation further exacerbates the problem, pushing more young people into crime, with incident numbers for the first quarter of 2025 already on track to exceed 2022’s total.
“While partial data for 2025 suggests a potential decline, possibly due to intensified security operations, the overall patterns highlight persistent instability, influenced by economic factors, election cycles, and varying security measures.”
Between 2020 and early 2025, the report stated that Edo, Ogun, and Delta states accounted for 490 incidents—more than half of the national total—and 899 fatalities.
It highlighted a particularly deadly episode in Edo State: “In Edo State alone, a late December 2023 clash between Black Axe and Eiye cultists reportedly claimed over 30 lives in a single week.”
In the same period, Anambra recorded 128 deaths from gang violence, while Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa registered 89 and 69 deaths, respectively. Osun and Kwara states also recorded unexpected spikes with 55 and 58 deaths.
The report, however, noted that states such as Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara experienced little to no gang-related fatalities, as terrorist activities dominate the security challenges in those regions.
